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8083294786 COUNTY COUNCIL KONA COUNTY COUNCIL KONA 09:46:59 a . 10-02-2012 2/4 <br /> ��NCE HEr <br /> � yF'pi <br /> LICENSED <br /> T pROFES510NAt_ -p <br /> 10/1/2012 O ARCHITECT <br /> * NO. 14938 <br /> HETHERINGTON ARCHITECTURE LLC y Q: <br /> • <br /> John L.Hetherington,Architect,AIA Member,Hawaii lic.#AR 14938 9/4,q/1 <br /> 73-4428 Mamalahoa Hwy. <br /> Kailua Kona,HI 96740 <br /> 808-938-3498 <br /> hetharch@gmail.com <br /> 3 <br /> To:Chairman,Dominic Yagong,Hawaii County Council <br /> COMMENTS REGARDING BILL 305 <br /> L <br /> N <br /> Aloha All, <br /> Since it became required under Section 1,Chapter 9,Article 5....for all Solar <br /> Photovoltaic projects to bear the seal of an architect or structural engineer,I have <br /> reviewed 26 different residential solar photovoltaic projects. The architectural and <br /> engineering concerns are primarily related to water-proofing,structural integrity. <br /> While in some cases the structural concern is minor; <br /> According to the 2006 IBC,adopted by the County of Hawaii: <br /> 2303.4.1.7 Alterations to<<trusses>>. <br /> <<Truss>>members and components shall not be cut,notched,drilled,spliced or otherwise altered in any <br /> way without written concurrence and approval of a registered design professional.Alterations resulting in <br /> the addition of loads to any member(e.g.,HVAC equipment,water heater)shall not be permitted without <br /> verification that the<<truss>>is capable of supporting such additional loading. <br /> The county apparently per administrative ruling has waived the structural review for <br /> single story truss roofs. <br /> According to a bulletin issued by MiTek,(The connection engineering behind the pre- <br /> fabricated trusses built here on the Island)Trusses should not be drilled without serious <br /> review of the structural consequences and preferably not at all. (see attached bulletin <br /> "Proper Loading for Solar Panels) <br /> Many of the older homes here on the Big Island were built before building codes were <br /> established. In four of the projects I have reviewed so far there were serious structural <br /> concerns about not only the added load of a solar photovoltaic system but the live load of <br /> workers on the roof. I have designed structural retrofits to allow the owners to add the <br /> desired system safely and in several instances insisted that a ground mount system be <br /> used due to the expense of making the roof structure safe enough to support the <br /> additional loads. <br /> Comm. No. • 3 0•C <br /> Ref. To: _i_.• <br /> i <br /> Ref. Dole QCT 9 3 2012 <br />